The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1887-02-24
SAVAGE RACES.
VIII They Not BE Differentiated by
Natural I.awsi

VIII They Not BE Differentiated Dy
Natural Iawsi
Speaking vi the rate of savage pro-
gress. The London Spectator says: 1t
seems to us that modern cheeriness has
slightly infected scientific men, and
that in eager hope to show that natural
science presages a great future ~
man they leave out of view some I'M
pleasant facts which initiate against
their theory. They take time into their
account at m point and not at anoth-
er. They will assert that the develop
ment of man from n monkey or q rep
tile, or whatever is the latest theory
about his ancestors. must have occu-
pied cycles of centuries, and that cycles
more past before man could use tools
or make fire; and then they expect, or
write as if they expected, another enor-
nous advance within n trumpery peri
cd marked in recorded historY-for ex-
ample, some two or three thousand
years. Why? Where is the evidence
that the man of the Niger would not
tohO ~ iiiIlO " 81 " ICiIS DcIOTo ne,
unassisted, attained to civilization, es-
pecially if he passed through that Pc
riod of ''arrestment' which has certain
ly struck some races. and the duration
OF which is as uncertain rs the duration
OF the world? Scientific men are con-
scious of the greatest of the maryels
of the universe, the astounding way in
which productive or creative energy is
wasted, generations of creatures per-
ishing uselessly before the creature to
survive is born, and forests dacaying
that n few trees may live; but they
seem UNIV ling to expect such waste of
men. Why not? Is it because of the.
value of Sentient beings in the economy
of the universe? If humanity all per-
ished tomorrow through some vast Ca
lam ty, say, by the emission from all vol
canIc regions of some poisonous vapor
"a thing believed to have occurred on
a minute scale-the loss would be far
less than the loss of babies which has
occurred since the beginning of the
world, and would be less, indeed, than
the loss Of stillborn children only. III
nature, or law, or providence, can af-
ford to waste human beings, even
- M 81 thdb DIOtlSlOuo tdlCy
why should it not waste whole races of
savages? 1t has wasted two within
quite 4 short period-the CARDS of Gu
ba and the Tasmanians-and it is vast
ing two more gu tie visibly, the Austria
lians of the mainland and the MaOris.
Why should it not waste the remainder.
leaving the world altogether TO men of
some higher type, or other type, as
has happened with some animals? We
do not see, we confess, though we wish
to see. why, on the scientific theory of
the universe, We should expect so much
progress in savages, or why Il Digger
Indian, say, should gradually advance
until he a count up to the number
which astronomers are accustomed to
use. Why should he not perish, or, if
his vitality is strong, as is the case with
some negro tribes. why should he not
survive rs a kind of haIf-developed
man? He has done so for ages in Aus
tralia, and why should the ages end2
We Il see a hope for him in the Chris
tian theory, which assigns to the negro,
as in Newton, two lives. but on the
scientific II we see nothing for him,
II he remains un%cOnquered and of I'M
conquered and unmIXed blood, except
a doubtful probability of advance at q
rate which the human mind can scarce
ly discern, and which. as a factor in
history, it is even useless to consider.
Judged by Christianity, the savage has
a future; but. judged by history and
science, the best thing that could hap
pen to him would be to disappear as
rapidly as possible, and make room for
the useful peoples, who two centuries
hence VIII have scarcely room to
breathe.